Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came
to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun,
Moses' minister, saying,
Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this
Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do
give to them, even to the children of Israel.
Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that
have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great
river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and
unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be
your coast.
There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the
days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee:
I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt
thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto
their fathers to give them.
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest
observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant
commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the
left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but
thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest
observe to do according to all that is written therein: for
then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt
have good success.
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be
not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is
with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare
you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this
Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God
giveth you to possess it.
And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the
tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying,
Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD
commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest,
and hath given you this land.
Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in
the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye
shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of
valour, and help them;
Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given
you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your
God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your
possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD's servant gave
you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.
And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us
we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.
According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we
hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he
was with Moses.
Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and
will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest
him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good
courage.
And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy
secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they
went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged
there.
And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there
came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to
search out the country.
And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth
the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine
house: for they be come to search out all the country.
And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus,
There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were:
And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate,
when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went
I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake
them.
But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid
them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon
the roof.
And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the
fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone
out, they shut the gate.
And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the
roof;
And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you
the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all
the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red
sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto
the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side
Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.
And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt,
neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because
of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and
in earth beneath.
Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I
have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto
my father's house, and give me a true token:
And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my
brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver
our lives from death.
And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not
this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given
us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.
Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her
house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.
And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the
pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until
the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.
And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine
oath which thou hast made us swear.
Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line
of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down
by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy
brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.
And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of
thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head,
and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in
the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon
him.
And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of
thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.
And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she
sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet
line in the window.
And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there
three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers
sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.
So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and
passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him
all things that befell them:
And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into
our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the
country do faint because of us.
And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from
Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of
Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.
And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went
through the host;
And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of
the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites
bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after
it.
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two
thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may
know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this
way heretofore.
And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to
morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.
And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of
the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took
up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to
magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know
that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the
covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water
of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.
And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and
hear the words of the LORD your God.
And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is
among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before
you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the
Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the
Jebusites.
Behold, the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth
passeth over before you into Jordan.
Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel,
out of every tribe a man.
And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of
the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the LORD of all the
earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of
Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from
above; and they shall stand upon an heap.
And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents,
to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the
covenant before the people;
And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the
feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim
of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the
time of harvest,)
That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up
upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside
Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain,
even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people
passed over right against Jericho.
And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD
stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the
Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people
were passed clean over Jordan.
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed
over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,
Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a
man,
And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst
of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood
firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you,
and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this
night.
Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the
children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the
LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every
man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the
number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask
their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these
stones?
Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut
off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed
over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these
stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for
ever.
And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and
took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD
spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of
the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto
the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the
place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the
covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of
Jordan, until everything was finished that the LORD commanded
Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses
commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed
over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests,
in the presence of the people.
And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half
the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children
of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:
About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the
LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all
Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the
days of his life.
And the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,
Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that
they come up out of Jordan.
Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out
of Jordan.
And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the
covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan,
and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry
land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and
flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the
first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of
Jericho.
And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did
Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your
children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What
mean these stones?
Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over
this Jordan on dry land.
For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from
before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God
did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we
were gone over:
That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the
LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God
for ever.
And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which
were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the
Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had
dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of
Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted,
neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the
children of Israel.
At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp
knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second
time.
And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children
of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the
people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the
men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came
out of Egypt.
Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the
people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they
came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.
For the children of Israel walked forty years in the
wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which
came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the
voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not
shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers
that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and
honey.
And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them
Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they
had not circumcised them by the way.
And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the
people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they
were whole.
And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the
reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the
place is called Gilgal unto this day.
And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the
passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the
plains of Jericho.
And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow
after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the
selfsame day.
And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the
old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna
any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan
that year.
And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he
lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man
over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua
went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our
adversaries?
And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I
now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did
worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his
servant?
And the captain of the LORD's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy
shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is
holy. And Joshua did so.
Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of
Israel: none went out, and none came in.
And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine
hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of
valour.
And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round
about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of
rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city
seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast
with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the
trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and
the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people
shall ascend up every man straight before him.
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto
them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests
bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.
And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city,
and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.
And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people,
that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams'
horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets:
and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.
And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the
trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests
going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not
shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any
word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout;
then shall ye shout.
So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it
once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.
And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up
the ark of the LORD.
And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before
the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the
trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward
came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and
blowing with the trumpets.
And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned
into the camp: so they did six days.
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early
about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the
same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the
city seven times.
And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew
with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the
LORD hath given you the city.
And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are
therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she
and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the
messengers that we sent.
And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing,
lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed
thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron,
are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the
treasury of the LORD.
So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets:
and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the
trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the
wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city,
every man straight before him, and they took the city.
And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man
and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the
edge of the sword.
But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the
country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the
woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.
And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out
Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and
all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and
left them without the camp of Israel.
And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein:
only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of
iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.
And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's
household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel
even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which
Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the
man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city
Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn,
and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.
So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised
throughout all the country.
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the
accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi,
the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed
thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the
children of Israel.
And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside
Bethaven, on the east of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying,
Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all
the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go
up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour
thither; for they are but few.
So there went up thither of the people about three thousand
men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for
they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and
smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the
people melted, and became as water.
And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his
face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the
elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.
And Joshua said, Alas, O LORD God, wherefore hast thou at all
brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand
of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been
content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
O LORD, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs
before their enemies!
For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall
hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name
from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest
thou thus upon thy face?
Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my
covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of
the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also,
and they have put it even among their own stuff.
Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their
enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because
they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more,
except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against
to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an
accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not
stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed
thing from among you.
In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your
tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh
shall come according to the families thereof; and the family
which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the
household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.
And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing
shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he
hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he
hath wrought folly in Israel.
So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by
their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of
the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by
man; and Zabdi was taken:
And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of
Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of
Judah, was taken.
And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory
to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and
tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned
against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and
two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty
shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and,
behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and
the silver under it.
So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and,
behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.
And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought
them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and
laid them out before the LORD.
And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of
Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold,
and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses,
and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they
brought them unto the valley of Achor.
And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall
trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones,
and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with
stones.
And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day.
So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore
the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto
this day.
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou
dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go
up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and
his people, and his city, and his land:
And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto
Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle
thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an
ambush for the city behind it.
So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against
Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour,
and sent them away by night.
And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait
against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from
the city, but be ye all ready:
And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto
the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out
against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them,
(For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from
the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the
first: therefore we will flee before them.
Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the
city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.
And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall
set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD
shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.
Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in
ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of
Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.
And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the
people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the
people to Ai.
And all the people, even the people of war that were with him,
went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched
on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them
and Ai.
And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in
ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.
And when they had set the people, even all the host that was
on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west
of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the
valley.
And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they
hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out
against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time
appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were
liers in ambush against him behind the city.
And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before
them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
And all the people that were in Ai were called together to
pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were
drawn away from the city.
And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not
out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued
after Israel.
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is
in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And
Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward
the city.
And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran
as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered
into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on
fire.
And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and,
behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they
had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that
fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.
And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken
the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they
turned again, and slew the men of Ai.
And the other issued out of the city against them; so they
were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on
that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them
remain or escape.
And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.
And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying
all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness
wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the
edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the
Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the
sword.
And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and
women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.
For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out
the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants
of Ai.
Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a
prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD
which he commanded Joshua.
And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a
desolation unto this day.
And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as
soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should
take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the
entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great
heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.
Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in
mount Ebal,
As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of
Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an
altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any
iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD,
and sacrificed peace offerings.
And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses,
which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.
And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their
judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the
priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the
LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them;
half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over
against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had
commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings
and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of
the law.
There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua
read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the
women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were
conversant among them.
And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this
side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the
coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and
the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the
Jebusite, heard thereof;
That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua
and with Israel, with one accord.
And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done
unto Jericho and to Ai,
They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been
ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine
bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments
upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and
mouldy.
And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto
him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country:
now therefore make ye a league with us.
And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye
dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua
said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants
are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have
heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that
were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king
of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.
Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country
spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey,
and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants:
therefore now make ye a league with us.
This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses
on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it
is dry, and it is mouldy:
And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and,
behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are
become old by reason of the very long journey.
And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at
the mouth of the LORD.
And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them,
to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware
unto them.
And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had
made a league with them, that they heard that they were their
neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.
And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their
cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and
Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.
And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes
of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of
Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have
sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we
may not touch them.
This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest
wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto
them.
And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be
hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation;
as the princes had promised them.
And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying,
Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from
you; when ye dwell among us?
Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be
freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of
water for the house of my God.
And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly
told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his
servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the
inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were
sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this
thing.
And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and
right unto thee to do unto us, do.
And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of
the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of
water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD,
even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.
Now it came to pass, when Adonizedec king of Jerusalem had
heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it;
as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai
and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace
with Israel, and were among them;
That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as
one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai,
and all the men thereof were mighty.
Wherefore Adonizedec king of Jerusalem, sent unto Hoham king
of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia
king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,
Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it
hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.
Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of
Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king
of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together,
and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before
Gibeon, and made war against it.
And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal,
saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us
quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the
Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together
against us.
So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war
with him, and all the mighty men of valour.
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have
delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them
stand before thee.
Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from
Gilgal all night.
And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them
with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the
way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and
unto Makkedah.
And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were
in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great
stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they
were more which died with hailstones than they whom the
children of Israel slew with the sword.
Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD
delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and
he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon
Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people
had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written
in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of
heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the
LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought
for Israel.
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to
Gilgal.
But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at
Makkedah.
And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid
in a cave at Makkedah.
And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave,
and set men by it for to keep them:
And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the
hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities:
for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand.
And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel
had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter,
till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them
entered into fenced cities.
And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah
in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of
Israel.
Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out
those five kings unto me out of the cave.
And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him
out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron,
the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of
Eglon.
And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto
Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said
unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come
near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they
came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.
And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be
strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all
your enemies against whom ye fight.
And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged
them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until
the evening.
And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun,
that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees,
and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and
laid great stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until this
very day.
And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge
of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them,
and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and
he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of
Jericho.
Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him,
unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah:
And the LORD delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the
hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword,
and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in it;
but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of
Jericho.
And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto
Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it:
And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which
took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the
sword, and all the souls that were therein, according to all
that he had done to Libnah.
Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua
smote him and his people, until he had left him none
remaining.
And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with
him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it:
And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of
the sword, and all the souls that were therein he utterly
destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to
Lachish.
And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto
Hebron; and they fought against it:
And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and
the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the
souls that were therein; he left none remaining, according to
all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and
all the souls that were therein.
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and
fought against it:
And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities
thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and
utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein; he left
none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir,
and to the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to
her king.
So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the
south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their
kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that
breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded.
And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and
all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.
And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one
time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel.
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to
Gilgal.
And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those
things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king
of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,
And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and
of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in
the borders of Dor on the west,
And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the
Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite
in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land
of Mizpeh.
And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much
people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in
multitude, with horses and chariots very many.
And when all these kings were met together, they came and
pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against
Israel.
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them:
for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain
before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their
chariots with fire.
So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against
them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.
And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote
them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto
Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and
they smote them, until they left them none remaining.
And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed
their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.
And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote
the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the
head of all those kingdoms.
And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge
of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left
to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire.
And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them,
did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword,
and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the
LORD commanded.
But as for the cities that stood still in their strength,
Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua
burn.
And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the
children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every
man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had
destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe.
As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command
Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that
the LORD commanded Moses.
So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south
country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the
plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same;
Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto
Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all
their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them.
Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
There was not a city that made peace with the children of
Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other
they took in battle.
For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they
should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy
them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he
might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.
And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the
mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all
the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel:
Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.
There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children
of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there
remained.
So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD
said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto
Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the
land rested from war.
Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of
Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side
Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto
mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east:
Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled
from Aroer, which is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and
from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even unto
the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of
Ammon;
And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and
unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the east, the
way to Bethjeshimoth; and from the south, under Ashdothpisgah:
And the coast of Og king of Bashan, which was of the remnant
of the giants, that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,
And reigned in mount Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all Bashan,
unto the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and
half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
Them did Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of
Israel smite: and Moses the servant of the LORD gave it for a
possession unto the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half
tribe of Manasseh.
And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the
children of Israel smote on this side Jordan on the west, from
Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon even unto the mount Halak,
that goeth up to Seir; which Joshua gave unto the tribes of
Israel for a possession according to their divisions;
In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and
in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the south
country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the
Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside
Bethel, one;
The king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;
The king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;
The king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
The king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
The king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;
The king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;
The king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one;
The king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;
The king of Shimronmeron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
The king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
The king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one;
The king of Dor in the coast of Dor, one; the king of the
nations of Gilgal, one;
The king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one.
Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said
unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there
remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.
This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the
Philistines, and all Geshuri,
From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of
Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords
of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the
Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the
Avites:
From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah
that is beside the Sidonians unto Aphek, to the borders of the
Amorites:
And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the
sunrising, from Baalgad under mount Hermon unto the entering
into Hamath.
All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto
Misrephothmaim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out
from before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot
unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded
thee.
Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the
nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their
inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward,
even as Moses the servant of the LORD gave them;
From Aroer, that is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and the
city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain of
Medeba unto Dibon;
And all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, which
reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of Ammon;
And Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites,
and all mount Hermon, and all Bashan unto Salcah;
All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth
and in Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants: for
these did Moses smite, and cast them out.
Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled not the
Geshurites, nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the
Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day.
Only unto the tribes of Levi he gave none inheritance; the
sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their
inheritance, as he said unto them.
And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben
inheritance according to their families.
And their coast was from Aroer, that is on the bank of the
river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river,
and all the plain by Medeba;
Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and
Bamothbaal, and Bethbaalmeon,
And Jahaza, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath,
And Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and Zarethshahar in the mount of
the valley,
And Bethpeor, and Ashdothpisgah, and Bethjeshimoth,
And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon
king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses
smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and
Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the
country.
Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children
of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by
them.
And the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan, and the
border thereof. This was the inheritance of the children of
Reuben after their families, the cities and the villages
thereof.
And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto
the children of Gad according to their families.
And their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and
half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that is
before Rabbah;
And from Heshbon unto Ramathmizpeh, and Betonim; and from
Mahanaim unto the border of Debir;
And in the valley, Betharam, and Bethnimrah, and Succoth, and
Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon,
Jordan and his border, even unto the edge of the sea of
Chinnereth on the other side Jordan eastward.
This is the inheritance of the children of Gad after their
families, the cities, and their villages.
And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh:
and this was the possession of the half tribe of the children
of Manasseh by their families.
And their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom
of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in
Bashan, threescore cities:
And half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the
kingdom of Og in Bashan, were pertaining unto the children of
Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the
children of Machir by their families.
These are the countries which Moses did distribute for
inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan,
by Jericho, eastward.
But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the
LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto
them.
And these are the countries which the children of Israel
inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and
Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the
tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance
to them.
By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the
hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.
For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half
tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave
none inheritance among them.
For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and
Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the
land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their
cattle and for their substance.
As the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did,
and they divided the land.
Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and
Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou
knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God
concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.
Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent
me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him
word again as it was in mine heart.
Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart
of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.
And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon
thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy
children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the
LORD my God.
And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said,
these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this
word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the
wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five
years old.
As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses
sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now,
for war, both to go out, and to come in.
Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in
that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were
there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the
LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out,
as the LORD said.
And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of
Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.
Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of
Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly
followed the LORD God of Israel.
And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was
a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.
This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by
their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of
Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast.
And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea,
from the bay that looketh southward:
And it went out to the south side to Maalehacrabbim, and
passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto
Kadeshbarnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar,
and fetched a compass to Karkaa:
From thence it passed toward Azmon, and went out unto the
river of Egypt; and the goings out of that coast were at the
sea: this shall be your south coast.
And the east border was the salt sea, even unto the end of
Jordan. And their border in the north quarter was from the bay
of the sea at the uttermost part of Jordan:
And the border went up to Bethhogla, and passed along by the
north of Betharabah; and the border went up to the stone of
Bohan the son of Reuben:
And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor,
and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the
going up to Adummim, which is on the south side of the river:
and the border passed toward the waters of Enshemesh, and the
goings out thereof were at Enrogel:
And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto
the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the
border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before
the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the
valley of the giants northward:
And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto the
fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities
of mount Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah, which is
Kirjathjearim:
And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir,
and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is
Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Bethshemesh, and
passed on to Timnah:
And the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward: and
the border was drawn to Shicron, and passed along to mount
Baalah, and went out unto Jabneel; and the goings out of the
border were at the sea.
And the west border was to the great sea, and the coast
thereof. This is the coast of the children of Judah round
about according to their families.
And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the
children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to
Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city
is Hebron.
And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and
Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the
name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher.
And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it,
to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it:
and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him
to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and
Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?
Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a
south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the
upper springs, and the nether springs.
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah
according to their families.
And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah
toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and
Jagur,
And Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah,
And Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan,
Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,
And Hazor, Hadattah, and Kerioth, and Hezron, which is Hazor,
Amam, and Shema, and Moladah,
And Hazargaddah, and Heshmon, and Bethpalet,
And Hazarshual, and Beersheba, and Bizjothjah,
Baalah, and Iim, and Azem,
And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah,
And Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah,
And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities
are twenty and nine, with their villages:
And in the valley, Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah,
And Zanoah, and Engannim, Tappuah, and Enam,
Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,
And Sharaim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim;
fourteen cities with their villages:
Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdalgad,
And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,
Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon,
And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish,
And Gederoth, Bethdagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen
cities with their villages:
Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,
And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib,
And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their
villages:
Ekron, with her towns and her villages:
From Ekron even unto the sea, all that lay near Ashdod, with
their villages:
Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns
and her villages, unto the river of Egypt, and the great sea,
and the border thereof:
And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh,
And Dannah, and Kirjathsannah, which is Debir,
And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim,
And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their
villages:
Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean,
And Janum, and Bethtappuah, and Aphekah,
And Humtah, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, and Zior; nine
cities with their villages:
Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah,
And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,
Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages:
Halhul, Bethzur, and Gedor,
And Maarath, and Bethanoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their
villages:
Kirjathbaal, which is Kirjathjearim, and Rabbah; two cities
with their villages:
In the wilderness, Betharabah, Middin, and Secacah,
And Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and Engedi; six cities with
their villages.
As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the
children of Judah could not drive them out; but the Jebusites
dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.
And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by
Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the
wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Bethel,
And goeth out from Bethel to Luz, and passeth along unto the
borders of Archi to Ataroth,
And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the
coast of Bethhoron the nether, and to Gezer; and the goings
out thereof are at the sea.
So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their
inheritance.
And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their
families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the
east side was Atarothaddar, unto Bethhoron the upper;
And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the
north side; and the border went about eastward unto
Taanathshiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah;
And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and
came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan.
The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river
Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the
inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their
families.
And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among
the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities
with their villages.
And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but
the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and
serve under tribute.
There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the
firstborn of Joseph; to wit, for Machir the firstborn of
Manasseh, the father of Gilead: because he was a man of war,
therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.
There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh
by their families; for the children of Abiezer, and for the
children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the
children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for
the children of Shemida: these were the male children of
Manasseh the son of Joseph by their families.
But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son
of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters:
and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah,
Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before
Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The
LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our
brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD
he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their
father.
And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of
Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side Jordan;
Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his
sons: and the rest of Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead.
And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that
lieth before Shechem; and the border went along on the right
hand unto the inhabitants of Entappuah.
Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the
border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim;
And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the
river: these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of
Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also was on the north side of
the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea:
Southward it was Ephraim's, and northward it was Manasseh's,
and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on
the north, and in Issachar on the east.
And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Bethshean and her
towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor
and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and
the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants
of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.
Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the
inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in
that land.
Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen
strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, but did not
utterly drive them out.
And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast
thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I
am a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me
hitherto?
And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get
thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in
the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim
be too narrow for thee.
And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for
us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the
valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean
and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.
And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and
to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great
power: thou shalt not have one lot only:
But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou
shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for
thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron
chariots, and though they be strong.
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled
together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the
congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.
And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes,
which had not yet received their inheritance.
And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye
slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your
fathers hath given you?
Give out from among you three men for each tribe: and I will
send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and
describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they
shall come again to me.
And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide
in their coast on the south, and the house of Joseph shall
abide in their coasts on the north.
Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and
bring the description hither to me, that I may cast lots for
you here before the LORD our God.
But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of
the LORD is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half
the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond
Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave
them.
And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged them that
went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the
land, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here
cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh.
And the men went and passed through the land, and described it
by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua
to the host at Shiloh.
And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and
there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel
according to their divisions.
And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up
according to their families: and the coast of their lot came
forth between the children of Judah and the children of
Joseph.
And their border on the north side was from Jordan; and the
border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and
went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out
thereof were at the wilderness of Bethaven.
And the border went over from thence toward Luz, to the side
of Luz, which is Bethel, southward; and the border descended
to Atarothadar, near the hill that lieth on the south side of
the nether Bethhoron.
And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of
the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Bethhoron
southward; and the goings out thereof were at Kirjathbaal,
which is Kirjathjearim, a city of the children of Judah: this
was the west quarter.
And the south quarter was from the end of Kirjathjearim, and
the border went out on the west, and went out to the well of
waters of Nephtoah:
And the border came down to the end of the mountain that lieth
before the valley of the son of Hinnom, and which is in the
valley of the giants on the north, and descended to the valley
of Hinnom, to the side of Jebusi on the south, and descended
to Enrogel,
And was drawn from the north, and went forth to Enshemesh, and
went forth toward Geliloth, which is over against the going up
of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of
Reuben,
And passed along toward the side over against Arabah
northward, and went down unto Arabah:
And the border passed along to the side of Bethhoglah
northward: and the outgoings of the border were at the north
bay of the salt sea at the south end of Jordan: this was the
south coast.
And Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This was the
inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the coasts thereof
round about, according to their families.
Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin
according to their families were Jericho, and Bethhoglah, and
the valley of Keziz,
And Betharabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel,
And Avim, and Pharah, and Ophrah,
And Chepharhaammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with
their villages:
Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,
And Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah,
And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah,
And Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi, which is Jerusalem, Gibeath, and
Kirjath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the
inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their
families.
And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of
the children of Simeon according to their families: and their
inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of
Judah.
And they had in their inheritance Beersheba, and Sheba, and
Moladah,
And Hazarshual, and Balah, and Azem,
And Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah,
And Ziklag, and Bethmarcaboth, and Hazarsusah,
And Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities and their
villages:
Ain, Remmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities and their
villages:
And all the villages that were round about these cities to
Baalathbeer, Ramath of the south. This is the inheritance of
the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their
families.
Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the
inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the part of the
children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the
children of Simeon had their inheritance within the
inheritance of them.
And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun
according to their families: and the border of their
inheritance was unto Sarid:
And their border went up toward the sea, and Maralah, and
reached to Dabbasheth, and reached to the river that is before
Jokneam;
And turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrising unto the
border of Chislothtabor, and then goeth out to Daberath, and
goeth up to Japhia,
And from thence passeth on along on the east to Gittahhepher,
to Ittahkazin, and goeth out to Remmonmethoar to Neah;
And the border compasseth it on the north side to Hannathon:
and the outgoings thereof are in the valley of Jiphthahel:
And Kattath, and Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and
Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.
This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according
to their families, these cities with their villages.
And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of
Issachar according to their families.
And their border was toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and
Shunem,
And Haphraim, and Shihon, and Anaharath,
And Rabbith, and Kishion, and Abez,
And Remeth, and Engannim, and Enhaddah, and Bethpazzez;
And the coast reacheth to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and
Bethshemesh; and the outgoings of their border were at Jordan:
sixteen cities with their villages.
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of
Issachar according to their families, the cities and their
villages.
And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of
Asher according to their families.
And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and
Achshaph,
And Alammelech, and Amad, and Misheal; and reacheth to Carmel
westward, and to Shihorlibnath;
And turneth toward the sunrising to Bethdagon, and reacheth to
Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthahel toward the north side
of Bethemek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left
hand,
And Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, even unto great
Zidon;
And then the coast turneth to Ramah, and to the strong city
Tyre; and the coast turneth to Hosah; and the outgoings
thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib:
Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty and two cities with
their villages.
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher
according to their families, these cities with their villages.
The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, even for
the children of Naphtali according to their families.
And their coast was from Heleph, from Allon to Zaanannim, and
Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakum; and the outgoings
thereof were at Jordan:
And then the coast turneth westward to Aznothtabor, and goeth
out from thence to Hukkok, and reacheth to Zebulun on the
south side, and reacheth to Asher on the west side, and to
Judah upon Jordan toward the sunrising.
And the fenced cities are Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath,
and Chinnereth,
And Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor,
And Kedesh, and Edrei, and Enhazor,
And Iron, and Migdalel, Horem, and Bethanath, and Bethshemesh;
nineteen cities with their villages.
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of
Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their
villages.
And the seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of
Dan according to their families.
And the coast of their inheritance was Zorah, and Eshtaol, and
Irshemesh,
And Shaalabbin, and Ajalon, and Jethlah,
And Elon, and Thimnathah, and Ekron,
And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath,
And Jehud, and Beneberak, and Gathrimmon,
And Mejarkon, and Rakkon, with the border before Japho.
And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for
them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against
Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword,
and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan,
after the name of Dan their father.
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan
according to their families, these cities with their villages.
When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance
by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to
Joshua the son of Nun among them:
According to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which
he asked, even Timnathserah in mount Ephraim: and he built the
city, and dwelt therein.
These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and
Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the
tribes of the children of Israel, divided for an inheritance
by lot in Shiloh before the LORD, at the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation. So they made an end of
dividing the country.
Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you
cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of
Moses:
That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and
unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge
from the avenger of blood.
And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall
stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall
declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they
shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place,
that he may dwell among them.
And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall
not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his
neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the
congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high
priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer
return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house,
unto the city from whence he fled.
And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and
Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in
the mountain of Judah.
And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they
assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the
tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad,
and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
These were the cities appointed for all the children of
Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that
whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither,
and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he
stood before the congregation.
Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto
Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto
the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of
Israel;
And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan,
saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us
cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle.
And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their
inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and
their suburbs.
And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and
the children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites,
had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of
Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.
And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the
families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan,
and out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities.
And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of
the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out
of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of
Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.
The children of Merari by their families had out of the tribe
of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe
of Zebulun, twelve cities.
And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these
cities with their suburbs, as the LORD commanded by the hand
of Moses.
And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and
out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which
are here mentioned by name.
Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the
Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had: for theirs
was the first lot.
And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which
city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs
thereof round about it.
But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave
they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.
Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with
her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah
with her suburbs,
And Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa with her suburbs,
And Holon with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs,
And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and
Bethshemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two
tribes.
And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs,
Geba with her suburbs,
Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs; four
cities.
All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were
thirteen cities with their suburbs.
And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites which
remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities
of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.
For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim,
to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her
suburbs,
And Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs;
four cities.
And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs,
Gibbethon with her suburbs,
Aijalon with her suburbs, Gathrimmon with her suburbs; four
cities.
And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her
suburbs, and Gathrimmon with her suburbs; two cities.
All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of
the children of Kohath that remained.
And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the
Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave
Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for
the slayer; and Beeshterah with her suburbs; two cities.
And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with her suburbs,
Dabareh with her suburbs,
Jarmuth with her suburbs, Engannim with her suburbs; four
cities.
And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her suburbs, Abdon
with her suburbs,
Helkath with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs; four
cities.
And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her
suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammothdor
with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs; three cities.
All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families
were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of
the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with her
suburbs, and Kartah with her suburbs,
Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs; four
cities.
And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with her suburbs, and
Jahazah with her suburbs,
Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs; four
cities.
And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her
suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim
with her suburbs,
Heshbon with her suburbs, Jazer with her suburbs; four cities
in all.
So all the cities for the children of Merari by their
families, which were remaining of the families of the Levites,
were by their lot twelve cities.
All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the
children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their
suburbs.
These cities were every one with their suburbs round about
them: thus were all these cities.
And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to
give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt
therein.
And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that
he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all
their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their
enemies into their hand.
There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had
spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.
Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the
half tribe of Manasseh,
And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of
the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I
commanded you:
Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day,
but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your
God.
And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren,
as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto
your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses
the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan.
But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law,
which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the
LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his
commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with
all your heart and with all your soul.
So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto
their tents.
Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given
possession in Bashan: but unto the other half thereof gave
Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And
when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he
blessed them,
And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto
your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with
gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much
raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the
half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the
children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of
Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, to the land of their
possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the word
of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the
land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad
and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan,
a great altar to see to.
And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of
Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh
have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the
borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel.
And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole
congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves
together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.
And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben,
and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh,
into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the
priest,
And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince
throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was an head
of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel.
And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children
of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of
Gilead, and they spake with them, saying,
Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass
is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to
turn away this day from following the LORD, in that ye have
builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the
LORD?
Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are
not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in
the congregation of the LORD,
But that ye must turn away this day from following the LORD?
and it will be, seeing ye rebel to day against the LORD, that
to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of
Israel.
Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean,
then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the LORD,
wherein the LORD's tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession
among us: but rebel not against the LORD, nor rebel against
us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the LORD our
God.
Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the
accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of
Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.
Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the
half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of
the thousands of Israel,
The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and
Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in
transgression against the LORD, (save us not this day,)
That we have built us an altar to turn from following the
LORD, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering,
or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the LORD himself
require it;
And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing,
saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our
children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD God of
Israel?
For the LORD hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye
children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the
LORD: so shall your children make our children cease from
fearing the LORD.
Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar,
not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our
generations after us, that we might do the service of the LORD
before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices,
and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say
to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the LORD.
Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say
to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say
again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our
fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but
it is a witness between us and you.
God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn
this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt
offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the
altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle.
And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the
congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were
with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the
children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased
them.
And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the
children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the
children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the LORD is
among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against
the LORD: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of
the hand of the LORD.
And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes,
returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of
Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to
the children of Israel, and brought them word again.
And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children
of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against
them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of
Reuben and Gad dwelt.
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the
altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the LORD
is God.
And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given
rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that
Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.
And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and
for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers,
and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age:
And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all
these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that
hath fought for you.
Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that
remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan,
with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great
sea westward.
And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you,
and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess
their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you.
Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is
written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not
aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;
That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among
you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause
to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto
them:
But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this
day.
For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and
strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before
you unto this day.
One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God,
he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the
LORD your God.
Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant
of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall
make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to
you:
Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive
out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be
snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and
thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land
which the LORD your God hath given you.
And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and
ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one
thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your
God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and
not one thing hath failed thereof.
Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are
come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall
the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have
destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God
hath given you.
When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God,
which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods,
and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD
be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off
the good land which he hath given unto you.
And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and
called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for
their judges, and for their officers; and they presented
themselves before God.
And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God
of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood
in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father
of Nachor: and they served other gods.
And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the
flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and
multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.
And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau
mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went
down into Egypt.
I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to
that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out.
And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the
sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with
chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea.
And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you
and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered
them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and
ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.
And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt
on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave
them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I
destroyed them from before you.
Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred
against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to
curse you:
But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you
still: so I delivered you out of his hand.
And you went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men
of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the
Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the
Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered
them into your hand.
And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from
before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with
thy sword, nor with thy bow.
And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and
cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the
vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.
Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in
truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the
other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you
this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your
fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or
the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for
me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should
forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;
For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our
fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage,
and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us
in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people
through whom we passed:
And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the
Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve
the LORD; for he is our God.
And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for
he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive
your transgressions nor your sins.
If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will
turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done
you good.
And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the
LORD.
And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against
yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And
they said, We are witnesses.
Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are
among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.
And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we
serve, and his voice will we obey.
So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set
them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God,
and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that
was by the sanctuary of the LORD.
And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall
be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the
LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness
unto you, lest ye deny your God.
So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his
inheritance.
And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of
Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten
years old.
And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in
Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of
the hill of Gaash.
And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the
days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known
all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.
And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought
up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground
which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem
for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance
of the children of Joseph.
And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a
hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him
in mount Ephraim.